Interpol notice issued for former Bahamian legislator

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – An Interpol red notice has been issued for a former Bahamian legislator who is wanted on two charges of stealing by reason of service and two charges of proceeds of criminal conduct.

If convicted, the former Exuma legislator Elliot Lockhart, KC, could face up to 34 years in prison.

The notice, published last month, came after two people complained to police about Mr Lockhart in separate matters.

According to the notice, the first complainant, Daniel Clay Smith, Jr, reported to the Financial Crimes Investigation branch that he paid US$$3.2 million to  Lockhart, 65, for legal work concerning Crown land, between May 2002 and November 2022.

The funds were also to help him and his family apply for citizenship.

However, the notice claimed that Smith requested his money back when nothing materialised by November 2022.

“Mr Smith requested a wire transfer and Elliot Lockhart sent a document that appeared to be transfer details from CIBC First Caribbean International Bank to Cross Creek Group LLC dated 22nd December 2022,” the notice said. “However, the document was fraudulent, and the funds have not been received to date.”

Detectives said CIBC First Caribbean International Bank confirmed that $3.1 million was deposited to Mr Lockhart's account on March 6, 2023, but the transaction was reversed moments later.

“It is suspected that the receipt generated from the transaction was given to Mr Smith to deceive him into thinking that the funds were on the account to cover the wire transfer,” the notice said.

In the second complaint, Dr Paul Fuchs, reported that he retained legal services from Lockhart's law firm in May 2023 to buy several properties in Exuma and Paradise Island.

Subsequently, over several months, he transferred $3 million to  Lockhart's firm's CIBC First Caribbean International bank account.

“The law firm failed to provide any documentation of the properties and produced several other inconsistencies. As a result, Dr Fuchs requested that the funds be returned on the 27th April 2023,” the notice said.

Lockhart allegedly sent a copy of an alleged fraudulent wire transfer to Fuchs for $3 million, but the monies were never sent and Fuchs received no funds.

Although demand letters were sent to Lockhart they produced no results and Fuchs took legal action against Lockhart last year.

In addition to his legal and political career, Lockhart is a former chairman of Nassau Flight Services, the Gaming Board of The Bahamas and the Police Inspectorate.

An Interpol red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.

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